Advances and Future Directions of Diagnosis and Management of Pediatric Abusive Head Trauma: A Review of the Literature

Abusive head trauma (AHT) is broadly defined as injury of the skull and intracranial contents as a result of perpetrator-inflicted force and represents a persistent and significant disease burden in children under the age of 4 years. When compared to age-matched controls with typically single occurrence accidental traumatic brain injury (TBI), mortality after AHT is disproportionately high and likely attributable to key differences between injury phenotypes. This article aims to review the epidemiology of AHT, summarize the current state of AHT diagnosis, treatment, and prevention as well as areas for future directions of study. Despite neuroimaging advances and an evolved understanding of AHT, early identification remains a challenge for contemporary clinicians. As such, the reported incidence of 10–30 per 100,000 infants per year may be a considerable underestimate that has not significantly decreased over the past several decades despite social campaigns for public education such as “Never Shake a Baby.” This may reflect caregivers in crisis for whom education is not sufficient without support and intervention, or dangerous environments in which other family members are at risk in addition to the child. Acute management specific to AHT has not advanced beyond usual supportive care for childhood TBI, and prevention and early recognition remain crucial. Moreover, AHT is frequently excluded from studies of childhood TBI, which limits the precise translation of important brain injury research to this population. Repeated injury, antecedent abuse or neglect, delayed medical attention, and high rates of apnea and seizures on presentation are important variables to be considered. More research, including AHT inclusion in childhood TBI studies with comparisons to age-matched controls, and translational models with clinical fidelity are needed to better elucidate the pathophysiology of AHT and inform both clinical care and the development of targeted therapies. Clinical prediction rules, biomarkers, and imaging modalities hold promise, though these have largely been developed and validated in patients after clinically evident AHT has already occurred. Nevertheless, recognition of warning signs and intervention before irreversible harm occurs remains the current best strategy for medical professionals to protect vulnerable infants and toddlers.